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ARC Discovery Projects

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Key dates for ARC Discovery Projects 2025

Expression of Interest Applications

  • EOI Applications open in RMS: 22 January 2024
  • UQ Research and Innovation (UQ R&I) information session: 17 January 2024, 10:00AM
  • UQ Notice of Intent due to Research Office: 30 January 2024
  • Full applications due to Research Office: 6 February 2024
  • Requests Not to Assess due to Research Office: 6 February 2024
  • Requests Not to Assess close with ARC: 13 February 2024
  • EOI Applications close with ARC: 27 February 2024
  • EOI Outcomes announced: 8 April to 10 April 2024

Full Applications

  • Full Applications open in RMS: 11 April 2024
  • Full Application Information Sesssion: 23 April 2024
  • Full Applications due to the Research Office: 7 May 2024
  • Full Applications close with the ARC: 4 June 2024
  • Anticipated announcement: November 2024

Overview

The Discovery Projects scheme provides funding to support excellent basic and applied research projects by individuals or teams. The scheme provides funding between $30,000 and $500,000 per year for up to five consecutive years in order to encourage research and research training in high-quality environments, support international collaboration in research, and enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas.

The Discovery Project scheme runs in a two-stage application process. Applicants will submit an Expression of Interest in RMS which is then assessed by the ARC College of Experts. Shortlisted projects will be invited to submit a full application. 

UQ Information Sessions

To assist the research community in preparing the DP25 EOI application, the Research Office held an information session Wednesday 17 January 2024 10am – 12pm. Slides and recording of the Information session are available on our Presentations and slides page. 

The Research Office will be holding an information session for full applications on 23 April 2024. This will include information on full application requirements, tips for writing your project description and budget, and a Q&A with College of Experts members.

    Date: Tuesday 23 April 2024
    Time: 2:00pm to 4:00pm
    Location: 05-213 Richards Building, Learning Theatre
    Zoom: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/83189214255

ARC Webinar

On 29 November 2023, the ARC held a webinar on how to pitch an EOI. A copy of the session recording can be found on the ARC YouTube Page. A copy of the webinar slides is also available for download How to Pitch an EOI combined slides (PDF, 1.5 MB)

How to apply

Internal Notice of Intent process

All researchers intending to submit an ARC DP application for funding in 2025 are required to submit an internal Notice of Intent. NOIs will be collated centrally and distributed to Faculties and Institutes in order to provide maximum support to the UQ research community.

Step 1. RMS updates and scheme reading

  • Update your full profile in RMS ‘Person Profile’. If any team members are new to RMS and need a login/password, start early.
  • Familiarise yourself with the key Australian Research Council (ARC) and UQ documentation. It is especially important to familiarise yourself with ARC's Grant Guidelines and Instructions to Applicants documents. 

Step 2. Completing the application

  • Log into RMS, create an application and make sure UQ is listed as the Administering Organisation. 
  • Use the UQ templates available below to draft your documents to be uploaded to your application in RMS.
  • Complete the application in RMS. 
  • When ready for review, ensure all online components are complete and valid, generate a whole application PDF for your records and select 'Submit to Research Office' in RMS.

Step 3. UQR&I internal review and feedback

  • To initiate review, email UQ Research Office at arc-discovery@research.uq.edu.au. Please note that RMS does not alert the Research Office when you create or submit an application in RMS. 
  • Include your completed UQ Application Certification Form and UQ Pending and Newly Funded ARC grants form in your email. 
  • If you are lodging a 'Request Not to Assess' (RNTA), please complete the 'Request Not to Assess' form in RMS and then submit to the Research Office for review by the date stated in key dates above. Instructions for creating a RNTA will be made available on GrantConnect.
  • UQ Research Office will review your application and provide you with feedback.

Step 4. Final submission

  • When your application is complete and fully compliant, the UQ Research Office will submit the application to the ARC through RMS.

Readership and researcher support

Before applying, we recommend you:

Key documents

ARC

Before applying, please review the full suite of documents available from GrantConnect, the Australian Government grants information system (login required). 

Additional ARC documents

UQ

Mandatory Forms

Templates

Additional Resources

UQ Library Support

Rejoinders and rebuttal

In the ARC assessment and rejoinder process, proposal comments from external assessors may be made available to applicants, and applicants given the opportunity to submit a rejoinder.

To assist you to prepare rejoinders, the Research Office holds rejoinder information sessions involving senior academics who have served on the ARC's College of Experts and posts the session materials when they become available.

The Reseach Office has developed a Rejoinder Tip Sheet with FAQs to assist you in crafting your rejoinder. 

Contact UQ R&I

Scheme queries

RMS queries

Round coordinators
Pre-award Discovery Team

If you are applying through UQ but you are not a current UQ staff member, please contact the round coordinator to be added to the UQ R&I mailing list.